Measuring load current consumed by a load connected to a circuit is useful for metering analysis. One way to measure accurately a range of load currents is to couple a current sensor (typically a current transformer) to a conductor carrying the load current, and convert the sensor output into a representation of the load current. Current transformers are bulky as they are shaped like a toroid and are positioned so that the load conductor passes through an opening in the toroid-shaped core. A ground fault detector already includes a ground fault sensing transformer, so to measure load current, a second transformer is needed. Eliminating the need for a bulky second current transformer would be beneficial. In addition, load shifts caused by variations in the windings of the ground fault sensing transformer can permit the sensed ground fault current to reach too high a value. Eliminating these load shifts would be beneficial.
What is needed, therefore, is an apparatus and method for measuring load current using a ground fault sensing transformer without the use of an external sensor. The present disclosure is directed to addressing these and other needs.